Bills on the SD House floor for Fri Jan 30

Since today is Friday, and it was a five-day workweek for the legislature, I almost expect most of these bills to get deferred so legislators can on the road back home. But, just in case they do vote on bills here are the ones I am keeping an eye on:

SCR 2 is a BAD resolution. It would support TPP and goes against what most of the legislators in Pierre claim to support. HB 1073 will be interesting to watch the debate on, sex offenders are a big topic right now. HB 1080 would be a great step forward by allowing terminal patients to try potentially live-saving drugs that have not been fully approved yet.

Motions and Resolutions

SCR 2 – SoDakLiberty Posts – Endorsing the thirty-first anniversary of sister state relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan), Taiwan’s inclusion in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Taiwan’s participation as an observer in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

I somehow missed this when the Senate voted on it and passed it unanimously on Jan 28. This is a bad resolution! I’m sure it was voted yes as a feel-good measure to show support for Taiwan. But TPP in included in the resolution. TPP is not a trade agreement, if Congress enters into TPP it would force the US to follow regulations that have been set by bureaucrats overseas. Since this legislature loves to talk about wishing to reduce the regulator burden from DC, I can’t imaging they would like to do it at an even larger scale!

This bill passed House Judiciary 10-3 and was deferred on the House floor yesterday. This ensures that a sex offender notifies the proper authorities within three days after getting a new vehicle. My biggest apprehension with the bill is its penalty of a Class 6 Felony.

This bill passed the House Health and Human Services committee 13-0. I wonder if there will be opposition to this because it has to do with abortions. All it does is give an actual deadline for the DOH to give their annual summary.

HB 1080 – SoDakLiberty Posts – Authorize the use of investigational treatments for patients under certain conditions and to restrict certain causes of action arising from investigational treatment.

This bill passed the House Health and Human Services committee 11-2. Here is what previously said about the bill and stick with what I said: I like this bill. It makes no sense to hold up a potentially life-saving treatment (or at least symptom-reducing treatment) on a terminal patient that has no other options. I believe this decision should be up to the patient and doctor.

Senate Bills & Joint Resolutions

SB 61 – SoDakLiberty Posts – Place certain substances on the controlled substances schedule and to declare an emergency.

This bill passed the Senate Health and Human Services, Senate floor, and House Health and Human Services with no opposition. Too bad. This expands the list of things people cannot do with their own body and continues to make criminals out of people where there is no victim.

Commemorations

HC 1008– SoDakLiberty Posts – Commending and honoring Emily Hawkes of Madison High School for being selected as South Dakota’s Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year for the 2014 cross country season.